Lincolnshire LDWA AGM Minutes held on Sunday 9th June 2024 at Hagworthingham Church Community Hall starting at 12.10pm

Present:, David Oxley, Adrian Brown, Lorna Gregory, Kevin Roach, Paul Hunt, Nigel Bowler, Karen Shaw,Alan Johnson.

• Apologies for absence: Grahame Fry, Dave Worsley, Lesley Worsley

• Minutes of the meeting of 23rd April 2023 were circulated and accepted. Proposed Dave Oxley, Seconded  Kevin Roach

Matters Arising

The path at Thorpe le Vale remains closed as it is a permissive path, and currently will remain closed for 20 years. It is believed that the landowner would be amenable to allowing use of the path for a specific event .

We have been requested to man a checkpoint along with West Yorkshire as part of the Flower of Suffolk (Norfolk and Suffolk) Hundred event taking place in 2025. This is a checkpoint towards the end of the walk.

Dave Oxley advised that he thought the website had been improved as a result of the updated format.

Officer Reports

Secretary: The Secretaries report was presented by Alan.

The Group has 176 primary members (down from182 last year) with 224 (192) associate members 

Lincolnshire LDWA facebook group has 141 members

Of the primary members 98 (therefore approximately half) lived in an area covered by Gainsborough across to Market Rasen and then the coast as a northern limit, with Lincoln to Skegness as a southern limit. This area had been selected as not only was it where most of the membership resided but it also covered nearly all of the walks programme. There were 45 members below this area and 26 above with a few members being out of county or had not provided a valid address.

It was noted that June  2023 walk (The Ropsley Raid) that took place in the south of the county did not attract any additional walkers from within our group.

Correspondence not already covered in the minutes related to a request to support a LCC ban on motorised vehicles using a footpath in the Grantham area. Use of the path by 4x4’s and trail bikes had made the path unusable by walkers, and an email supporting the LCC action had been submitted.

Treasurer: The Treasurers report was presented by Dave Oxley

Treasurer’s report dated 9th June 2024 showed a starting balance of £1650.79 with no income and a single expense of £30 made for the use of the Church Hall for the 2023 AGM. This report therefore showed a closing balance of £1620,79

A statement issued by Virgin Money for Lincolnshire LDWA confirmed an account balance of £1620.79 as at 8th June, 2024

Walks Secretary: The Walks Secretary report was presented by Lorna

Lorna thanked all of those that had led walks over the last year or who would be leading in the coming months.Monthly walks were currently planned for the remainder of 2024 with the exception of October where a walk leader was still required. Lorna advising that the Christmas walk would use the same venue as last 2 years as it was central to the core group of members.

Lorna proposed that as a means of thanks to the walk leaders that those that had led a walk had their Christmas meal paid for from the groups funds. This was agreed at the meeting.

Adoption of Updated Lincolnshire Group of LDWA constitution.

The proposed constitution had  previously been posted to the Lincolnshire group website with the recommendation that this be adopted at the 2024 AGM. The updated constitution is in line with the NEC model constitution and offers minimal changes to the group’s current constitution.

Alan advised that the biggest change to the constitution that could impact the group was the election of Officers, as securing nominees to these posts had been an issue in recent years. Currently our Constitution requires 3 officers, namely Chair, Secretary and Treasurer with the constitution not allowing the Chair and Secretary to be the same person. The new constitution requires these to be 3 separate persons. 

Alan advised that for personal reasons he was standing down as secretary. After discussions it was agreed that the constitution be accepted but we needed to keep the section allowing the Chair and Treasurer to be the same person, otherwise it was felt these positions would not be filled and the Group potentially would close.

Election of officers, all returned unopposed. 

Chair: Dave Oxley proposed by Lorna Gregory, seconded by Alan Johnson.

Secretary: Vacant at the meeting but subsequent to the meeting, Adrian has agreed to take up the position

Treasurer: Dave Oxley -  proposed by Nigel Bowler seconded by Lorna Gregory

Walks Secretary : Lorna Gregory - proposed by Alan Johnson seconded by Nigel Bowler

Ordinary members of Committee - Kevin Roach, Alan Johnson 

Any Other Business

The bank nominees are to be amended with Christine and Terry Baines being removed and Lorna being added.

A donation of £30 for the use of the hall was to be made. Proposed by Alan Johnson agreed by the meeting

The meeting closed at approximately 1.25 pm.